Tag Archives: No turning back

The deeper life -2

 

In some ways our lives are rather shallow from a spiritual viewpoint. They include some religious behavior and perhaps genuine worship, but largely they are filled to the brim with all kinds of things that don’t add to our deeper goals. We have ambitions that have nothing to do with God and quite frankly, sometimes our passions for them exceeds our passion to draw closer to God. It’s like we think we have two lives to live, a sacred one and a secular one.

 

Those who choose the “deeper” life realize we have but one life to live – for God. One life whose consistent thread of devotion to God is woven through the fabrics of their everyday lives: their work, house chores, recreation … they seek to make everything they do an extension of God’s love and his will. More than that, they strive to BE the same man or woman of God regardless of their activity. They seek to bear the mark of Jesus in every setting.

 

They are marked by a keen sense of passion and purpose. Life goals and daily activities are evaluated against criterion that examine if they contribute toward those goals or distract from them. It’s not unlike living on a budget and battling impulse buying. The deeper life is a disciplined one. The runner who fixes their eyes on the goal wins the race. The ones who look behind them and into the crowds are more concerned with the thoughts of others than the prize before them. What type of runner do you want to be?

 

Of course, there are some seasons of life that are busier than others. One of my nurses was talking with Marcia and me about the busy season of her life, raising children, being a devoted wife, working a tough job, managing a household. “There just doesn’t seem to be enough balance,” she exclaimed. And while some seasons do offer more opportunity for reflection and pursuit of deeper things, all seasons offer some time and benefit from a purpose filled life.

 

We are, each of us, very much a work in progress. It’s a deeper walk and journey, not an earthly destination. It’s a journey marked by patience with yourself and daily surrender to God. The desire for the deeper walk is heightened when we finally come to the end of ourselves and we’ve been convicted enough is enough. For me, getting rid of anger and bitterness was not just brokenness but more of a breakdown. I was so disgusted at who I was becoming, I had to give it ALL to Jesus, with no take backs. Recently, we put our move to the Bolivian mission field on “Abraham’s altar” determined to be content if this is a delay or a permanent prohibition.

 

Are there things in your life that need to be surrendered? offer them to God with open hands. He may take them or let you keep them. What’s important to him is the genuineness of our hearts. Jesus said we can only follow him if we deny ourselves.

 

So let’s keep praying with David, “search my heart our Lord. See if there are any iniquities,” anything that stands between me and God. Help me release them forever in the power and name of Jesus, the cross before me, the world behind me, no turning back.

 

Finding treasure and leaving it behind

 

Imagine winning a contest with a big cash reward but instead of collecting your prize, leaving it unclaimed. Or imagine a realtor showing you the perfect house, saying “It’s yours, free of charge.” But instead of moving in, you walk away. Crazy, right?

 

But that’s what happened to Simon, James, and John. Fishing was their livelihood. It was all they knew. But on this certain day they hadn’t caught anything. Jesus showed up and told them to lower their nets one more time and they caught such an abundance of fish it took two boats to bring in the bountiful catch! What would you do if you were them? Would you rush to market to collect your profits? Would you ask Jesus, “Show me your favor!” Would you plead with him to make you even more successful? Perhaps many would think that way. But that’s not the response of these men. Instead, they “left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:11)

 

Astounding! Here, they just received what they had been diligently pursuing and then they just leave their treasure to rot on the shore. Why? Because they recognized something of greater value. They had a genuine encounter with the real Jesus.  They recognized him for who we was. His authority, power, and compassion were so real that they were compelled to follow him, leaving all other treasure for the sake of being with him and to become “fishers of men.”

 

It’s what Paul experienced: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

 

All the world’s profits are like a huge catch of fish rotting on the shore, compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus. I wonder if you’ve had such an encounter with the real Jesus.

 

We’re sometimes persuaded to think we have to make Jesus more “appealing” to others. But that’s never how he presented himself. He saw people and met them with compassion. People who met the real Jesus found him completely compelling just as he was. He healed a leper and freed a man from a life of paralysis. He ate with “sinners,” saying, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

 

I wonder if you have met this Jesus whose authority and love are so real and so valued that you are compelled to follow him. And not just follow but leave everything else behind as if it were rubbish, compared to the worth of knowing him more. If so, he leaves us with a parable for how to follow him. He tells us that we should not put new wine in old wineskins because they will burst, spilling the wine and ruining the wineskins. So it is for us also. If we try to put the new life of Jesus into our old way of living, it will be just as disastrous. What should we do? Set the old ways aside. Leave them on the shore. Walk away and follow Jesus – completely. Live the new life fully and without regret or turning back.

 

Jesus says, “Follow me.” What is your response?

 

Vision Okay…With BIG Font

Bryan vision - big fontThey say that chemotherapy can change your vision. Maybe so, but I found if you just make the font on those eye charts big enough, there is NO problem! 🙂

Today, I visit with the doctors and nurses at the University of Iowa Hospital about my bone marrow (stem cell) transplant. Friday is “Day Zero” as they call it, the day they start the high dose chemo to destroy what’s left of my immune system in preparation for the transplant.  I’ve really enjoyed being stronger and able to visit with people for the last few weeks! I’ll be able to have visitors in Iowa City and also on return home, but with infection precautions.  The transplant will happen about Day 6 or 7 . As one transplant survivor said, you never really can completely answer all your questions. You just have to listen well to God, make your best decision and move forward without looking back. It reminds me of a song we sang as kids:

  1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  2. Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
    Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
    Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  3. The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  4. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    No turning back, no turning back.

No matter what your trial, be it cancer, heartache, financial woes, relational despair…there’s no turning back from your true path with God. Keep your vision clear.